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Please, Bring It into the Light!



Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.  Proverbs 28:13-14


I remember it like it was yesterday –a memory from years back. I was sitting with a friend who had shared with his wife the painful news of his adulterous affair with another woman. God had carried them through that first very difficult conversation and, by God’s grace, both husband and wife were willing to work to restore the marriage.

 

And while I was grateful for my friend’s honesty with his wife in revealing the first affair, there was still hidden sin that he had not yet revealed to his wife. My friend told me that he had been unfaithful with a second woman as well. He shared with me his fears that “this will be too much for her. If I tell her, our marriage is over!”

 

Hidden sin. Secret sin. It is so tempting to believe that it is better to keep my sin hidden in the dark. To believe the lie that somehow hiding my sin is the right choice. Maybe it’s an addiction that no one knows about. Or maybe it’s a financial debt you are keeping in the closet of your life. Or like my friend, maybe it’s an inappropriate relationship that you have chosen not to disclose for fear of the repercussions.

 

Whatever the case may be, I want to boldly share God’s next step for you: Bring It into the Light! 


And that’s not just my opinion, but the consistent counsel we find in God’s Word. Here are just a few examples:

 

  • This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.  1 John 1:5-7

  • Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:11-14

  • He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of His Beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14

  • This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.  John 3:19-21

 

 As I sat with my friend that day, he had many excuses why he could not possibly be honest with his wife about the 2nd woman. Over the years, I have had the privilege of sitting with others who believed the same lie – that keeping their sin in the dark was the best thing to do. Satan is master deceiver and doesn’t want us to bring our sin into the light. Here is what Biblical Counselor, Esther Liu, shares on this: For some of you, I imagine the complications involve facing the consequences of exposing your sin. You have your reasons for hiding. You are not ready for people to know because you are not ready to be held accountable. Perhaps you don't want to give up the sin. Or you don't want to be looked at with eyes of judgment or disappointment. You are not ready to lose the good reputation you've built for yourself. Maybe coming clean means you would lose everything. The cost feels too high. (1)

 

A Final Plea

As Christ-followers, the Word tells us that we are to “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). So that is what I am compelled to do with you, reader. So thanks for having ears to hear this final plea.

 

No where in Scripture does it say that God will bless our hidden sins. In fact, He tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive those sins and cleanse us (1 John 1:9). But in the very next verse He tells us, “If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His Word is not in us. (1 John 1:10). You are lying to yourself and to others who care about you by keeping your sin hidden. God never blesses disobedience and keeping things in the dark. Re-read the verse above from 1 John 1:5-7, or Jesus’ own words in John 3:19-21 also shared above.

 

As I sat with my friend that day, God led me to share Proverbs 28:13-14. I simply asked him to believe what God told us in those verses: that continuing to conceal his secret sin would only bring problems, but confessing and renouncing his sin would lead him to the Lord’s mercy. It was a critical moment for my friend. I am thankful that he trusted the truth of the Word that day and confessed the 2nd affair to his wife. I will not lie – it was a hard couple of months after that for both of them. But they both continued to surrender to God and cooperate with Him and He fully restored their marriage.

 

Jesus died on the cross so that you and I can be forgiven and reconciled to our Heavenly Father. Whatever your secret or hidden sin is, it can be forgiven if you will confess it and bring it into the light.

 

Here is Esther Liu’s final plea to you, reader: To those who are living in secret sin, I know that bringing these things to light may be the hardest thing you ever do. Many of you don't feel ready to take this step. You will need God's help. Yet, like the prodigal son, I hope you know you have a Father who is waiting for you. When He sees you coming from a distance, He will run to you and embrace you in His arms. He will rejoice that you have come home. And in His embrace, I hope that despite the ocean of losses and consequences, you too will rejoice that you have come home. There is hope for you. There is grace for you. Please come home. He is worth it, dear brothers and sisters. To the one living in secret sin today, please come home. (1)

 

 

 

 

 

Suggested Next Steps:

  • If you are ready to bring your hidden or secret sin into the light, then I strongly suggest you do two vital steps: First, take time to honestly and without excuses confess your sin to God. Use 1 John 1:9 as part of your prayer to the Lord. But the second step is also vital: Tell your spouse, if you are married, and one other mature, same-gender Christ-follower. If you are single, then tell two mature, same-gender Christ-followers. This is following God’s Word to us in James 5:16 which tells us to “confess our sins one to another.






  •  If you are still tempted to keep your sin hidden, then please commit to read the three online posts linked below as further exhortation by the Lord to get you to bring your sin into the light:

 

 

 

 


 

Written by Glen Solberg, Abiding Marriage June 2026. All Rights Reserved. Please email us at info@AbidingMarriage.org with any comments or questions.

 

Image by Max Ovcherenko on Unsplash

 

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